Why the 2-13 Chiefs sent five players to the Pro Bowl

TJ JohnsonDec 27, 2012 3:00 PM

Yesterday and today, there has been a collective gasp across Broncos Country that the Chiefs--yes, the lowly and wretched Kansas City Chiefs, whom Denver will host on Sunday to close out the regular season--placed five players on the AFC Pro Bowl team.

The thinking seems to be that a 2-13 team can't possibly deserve such honors. After all, if their players were any good, they'd have a better record. While there's certainly some truth in that line of thinking, and the Pro Bowl has largely become a game for divas, as they say in Spain, "no sé qué," which, roughly translated, means "Kansas City has good barbeque." In other words, it's not always so crazy when you scarf meat from bone and get into the details.

Before we take a look at whom the Chiefs actually put into the Pro Bowl, though, we should recognize that a lot of things influence a team's record. Just because the Chiefs are 2-13 and the Broncos 12-3, it's not necessarily always a reflection of better play at specific positions.

A lot of this stuff is random (fumble recoveries) and a flick of the switch at quarterback (Peyton Manning) instantly makes the entire line eligible for Pro Bowl consideration. Further, as we all know, a crappy offense actually benefits certain positions, as Shane Lechler and Sebastian Janikowski have shown for a decade.

Now that that's out of the way, let's take a look the Chiefs who made the 2013 Pro Bowl, and measure their worthiness:

He's also placed the second most balls inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Combine this with a respectible average of 46.2 yards per kick, and you have a punter who makes a decent case for getting to the Pro Bowl.

Jamaal Charles - Running Back

Let's face it, the Chiefs are terrible at the quarterback position (it's one of the places I'd honestly consider if I were Tim Tebow). So the Chiefs absolutely have to rely on their running game.

Jamaal Charles, by anyone's account, is one of the best backs in the league; further, he's faced so many seven- and eight-man fronts, it's almost shocking that his average is 5.4 yards per carry (second only to C.J. Spiller in the AFC).

And now that he's cracked the 750-carry threshold, Charles has far and away the highest per-carry-average in NFL history, with more than half a yard on Jim Brown, the prior record holder.

For a speed guy, he averages 2.3 yards after contact per carry. That ain't too shabby. Charles is certainly Pro Bowl worthy.

Derrick Johnson - Inside Linebacker

Again, here's a player whose Pro Bowl status is a reflection of the Chiefs' dog-vomit offense. Johnson has been nothing less than a tackling machine this year. He has registered 99 tackes and has a league-leading 68 stops.

Clearly, Johnson benefits from playing in a 3-4 defense, where your inside linebacker had better be tough, but the idea that Johnson isn't qualified for the Pro Bowl because of the Chiefs' record is a bit of a stretch.

Tamba Hali - Outside Linebacker

It's not a shock to me that an outside linebacker for the Chiefs made the Pro Bowl (similarly to Derrick Johnson, in the 3-4, all linebackers are going to get plenty of opportunities for tackles), it's that the wrong Chiefs outside linebacker was chosen. Justin Houston has been to the Chiefs what Wesley Woodyard has to the Broncos, although Houston was a third-round pick with a much higher grade (the guy smoked weed before the combine and was downgraded).

According to PFF, Houston is graded only behind Anthony Spencer and Clay Matthews as 3-4 OLBs and a full thirteen spots ahead of Hali. On tape, Houston's coverage skills are second to no other linebacker currently in the league.

Should Hali have made the Pro Bowl? Probably not. Does that mean the Chiefs should't have placed Houston? I don't think so.

Eric Berry - Safety

Here is where the disgust should begin and end. Berry's rookie year, versatility, and reputation got him the nod, and although Berry is one of the most talented safeties in the league, he didn't deserve entry to the Pro Bowl this year.

I could go on and on about how the Chiefs use Berry in every position (free and strong, man-to-man like a corner wide, in the slot, blitzing like a extra linebacker), but there's just two words I need to say: Eric Weddle. Weddle yesterday likened his own omission from the Pro Bowl to a "slap to the face." In the case of Eric Berry, I'd certainly agree.

Perhaps all of this is a reminder to Broncos fans--even if the Pro Bowl is a big joke, the Chiefs actually do have some talent, specifically at running back and on defense. Unlike the Cleveland Browns of last week, the Chiefs carry a real threat into this Sunday's game.

Doc offers a look at the Falcons roster in advance of Denver's Week 2 game in Atlanta tonight

Truman,

I'll take your word for it, but it tasted damn fine to me.

Posted by TJ Johnson on 2012-12-27 19:40:12

damn my spelling, grammar and just about everything else went to hell in that post haha

Posted by Luke Chaney on 2012-12-27 16:40:48

Lipstick on a pig comes to mind. Im sorry but im not buying this article at all. The queefs suck and by extension there is no f-ing way tat all these guys should be pro bowlers. I think the way you presented there stats just prove that even further. And no the Queefs pose absolutly no threat to win Sunday, a threat to hurt one of our ACTUALLY pro bowlers maybe, but thats it.

Posted by Luke Chaney on 2012-12-27 16:39:49

That was my first thought when I saw Berry made the probowl. Landry for that matter too. "What about Eric Weddle?"

Posted by generic internet commentor on 2012-12-27 16:00:11

KC having good BBQ is a myth. Their BBQ sucks, they mask it with their sauce but they do NOT know how to smoke meat in KC.

Now if you say they have good sauce that would be true. But BBQ is not Sauce it is meat glorious smoked meat and you can't find any good BBQ in KC. (yes I've been to Arthur Bryant's, Oklahoma Joes and Gates)

Posted by Truman Jensen on 2012-12-27 15:41:14

Thanks, I should have caught that, but I'm too busy thinking about Tim Tebow. Fixed!